My passion for writing led me to Journalism 1 freshman year (seems like a million years ago). I was closed-off, doubtful of my talent and doubtful that I’ll ever get close to someone. It felt like I was a million miles away from everyone, up until the class shared their memoirs. Opening up about a sensitive topic helped introduce me to the empathetic Mrs. Negri and the relatable Joseph Bloise. The other girls were also nice, but our relationship didn’t last as long. Harvey hit us hard, especially the Newspaper staff. It was at a blink of an eye that I was thrown into Newspaper 1 after we came back from “break.” I didn’t entirely experience Journalism 1, in fact, I experienced a mixture of Newspaper and Journalism (it was lowkey fun, highkey stressful).

The following year, the Newspaper staff grew: it was Joseph and I, and a bunch of Journalism students willing to help (don’t forget the exhausted seniors). We struggled with deadlines, lost great stories, but I always circled “Newspaper” for next year. Junior year was my absolute favorite, though, despite being short lived. It was our first official team, and I had my best buddy Thao with me. Ashly was the perfect Editor-in-chief, Thao was a grand critic, Aranza was an artistic genius, and then there was Maikel, our humble photographer. Joseph and I were so happy to have finally formed a year-round team, and he surprisingly became our digital artist (and, as always, our pun-hater).

I adore Mrs. Negri, truly. When covid took away everything that made Newspaper authentic, she didn’t give up. She struggled with us, listened to us, supported us, and was our guiding figure. She has been my greatest supporter, and I’m so thankful for everything she has done for me and my team. I love her so much I talk to my parents about her. Being Co-Editor-in-chief with Thao has been beyond words. I could cry 10 peoples’ worth of tears expressing my admiration for Thao and Mrs. Negri. I am so grateful to my other staff members: Maikel, Aranza, Carlos, Zacalinh, Chelsea, and my brother, Joseph. I have improved my writing skills, my social skills (especially), my photography skills, adobe skills, and my leadership skills. My passion for writing has grown with me, and I plan to continue for as long as I have capable hands. There is no class like Newspaper, and there is no better team than my staff.